(1) Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to livestock stanchions. More particularly, the present invention relates to frames for livestock stanchions that allow easy locking and releasing of animals from a frame as well as ease of livestock stanchion maintenance.
(2) Background of Invention
There exist a number of livestock stanchions that disclose an essentially co-planar frame of vertical and horizontal rails in combination with pivoting restraining stanchions to admit, restrain or manually release the heads of livestock. Typically, an animal is enticed to place its head through the frame to reach food that is typically on the other side of the frame and low to the ground. As the animal lowers its head to reach the food, the neck generally comes into contact with a pivoting restraining stanchion thereby causing it to lock into a vertical position and contain the head of the animal. The head and neck of the animal are free to move up and down but not sideways or backwards. Single and dual pivoting restraining stanchions fixed to a frame can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 7,784,431 issued to Hatfield et al (hereinafter Hatfield '431); U.S. Pat. No. 6,863,031 issued to DaSilveira (hereinafter DaSilveira '031), U.S. Pat. No. 6,834,620 issued to Albers (hereinafter Albers '620), U.S. Pat. No. 6,776,124 issued to Albers (hereinafter Albers '124); U.S. Pat. No. 6,352,052 issued to Albers (hereinafter Albers '052); U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,027 issued to DaSilveira (hereinafter DaSilveira '027), U.S. Pat. No. 5,309,869 issued to Albers (hereinafter Albers '869); U.S. Pat. No. Re 34,232 issued to DaSilveira (hereinafter DaSilveira '232); U.S. Design Pat. No. 326,340 issued to DaSilveira (hereinafter DaSilveira '340); U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,452 issued to DaSilveira (hereinafter DaSilveira '452); U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,105 issued to Hatfield (hereinafter Hatfield '105); U.S. Pat. No. 4,495,897 issued to Albers (hereinafter Albers '897); U.S. Pat. No. 4,476,815 issued to Albers (hereinafter Albers '815); U.S. Pat. No. 4,377,131 issued to Vandenberg et al (hereinafter Vandenberg '131); U.S. Pat. No. 4,185,592 issued to Albers (hereinafter Albers '592); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,037,566 issued to Albers (hereinafter Albers '566).
In the above disclosed patents, securing a pivoting restraining stanchion into a locked position is achieved through the use of a rotating and/or sliding locking bar to operate upon a latching mechanism. Use of a sliding locking bar is disclosed in Albers '592 (See FIG. 1) and Albers '566 (See FIG. 1). Use of a rotating locking bar is disclosed in Hatfield '431 (See FIG. 2), DaSilveira '031 (See FIG. 1), Albers '620 (See FIG. 1), Albers '124 (See FIG. 1), Albers '052 (See FIG. 1), DaSilveira '232 (See FIG. 5), DaSilveira '340 (See FIG. 1), and DaSilveira '452 (See FIG. 5). Use of both a sliding and rotating locking bar is disclosed in DaSilveira '027 (See FIG. 8), Albers '869 (See FIG. 1), Hatfield '105 (See FIG. 1), Albers '897 (See FIG. 1), Albers '815 (See FIG. 1), and Vandenberg '131 (See FIG. 1).
In each of the above described patents, the rotating or sliding locking bar passes through a number of support fittings fixed to the frame. See Albers '592 (FIG. 1—Element 80), Albers '566 (FIGS. 1-58). Hatfield '431 (FIG. 2-22), DaSilveira '031 (FIGS. 9-62), Albers '620 (FIG. 18—Element 71), Albers '124 (FIG. 18—Element 71), Albers '052 (FIG. 1—Element 66), DaSilveira '232 (FIG. 5—Element 26), DaSilveira '340 (FIG. 1), DaSilveira '452 (FIGS. 5-26), DaSilveira '027 (FIG. 1—Element 55), Albers '869 (FIGS. 9-48), Hatfield '105 (FIG. 1—Element 22), Albers '897 (FIG. 1—Element 38), Albers '815 (FIG. 1—Element 38), and Vandenberg '131 (FIG. 2—Element 24). Yet if any one of the locking bars discussed above must be replaced, the full length of the locking bar must be pulled through the support fittings or cut into smaller pieces to remove from the support fittings. However, cutting free the damaged portion from the frame usually renders the locking bar useless or requires welding the locking bar pieces (new and old) in place above the frame rather than on a workbench. Furthermore, none of the above referenced patents provide for a strong but releaseably coupled joint between adjacent locking bars, whether rotating, sliding or a combination of both.
The latching mechanisms used on conjunction with the above described locking bars (and known to those skilled in the art) can be generally characterized as either having a stop pin/latch pin combination or a latch space/latch pin combination. Latching mechanisms with a stop pin/latch pin combination can be arranged where the latch element (stop pin or latch pin) is associated with the locking bar or the upper end region of the restraining stanchion. See Hatfield '105, Albers '897, Albers '815, and Vandenberg '131. Latching mechanisms with a latch space/latch pin combination are depicted in Albers '869, Albers '592, and Albers '566. Regardless of which version is used, the mechanism is limited to arresting movement of the restraining bar in only one direction. Additional stop pins or latch recesses must be added at different locations along the locking bar to arrest movement of the restraining bar in the opposite direction. The spacing between the opposing latches dictates the amount of movement or play when the arresting stanchion is in a “locked” position. A large distance between opposing latches increases the likelihood of an animal injuring itself when the restraining stanchion is in a locked position. Too small a distance between opposing latches, while decreasing the likelihood of an animal injuring itself, interferes with unlocking the latching mechanism.
A pivoting restraining stanchion (disclosed above and known to those skilled in the art) is typically moved from a free position to a locked position by an animal inserting its head into a generally triangular livestock opening defined by the vertical posts of the frame and the restraining stanchion in a free (or open) position. Too small an opening and the ears or horns of an animal will strike the frame and cause the animal to shy away from inserting its head into the livestock opening. The typical livestock stanchion (as depicted in the described references and known to those skilled in the art) increases the distance between adjacent vertical posts to alleviate ear and horn strikes. This is achieved by using straight vertical posts at an optimal spacing distance to avoid ear and/or horn strikes. See Hatfield '431 (FIG. 1), DaSilveira '031 (FIG. 1), DaSilveira '027 (FIG. 1), DaSilveira '232 (FIG. 1), DaSilveira '340 (FIG. 1), and DaSilveira '452 (FIG. 1). While the construction of such frames are easy, the number of livestock openings in a given distance will decrease. Other livestock stanchions increase the size of an upper portion of the livestock opening, by adding bent vertical member. See Albers '620 (FIG. 1), Albers '124 (FIG. 1), Albers '052, Albers '869 (FIG. 1), Hatfield '105 (FIG. 1), Albers '897 (FIG. 1), Albers '815 (FIG. 1), Vandenberg '131 (FIG. 1), Albers '592 (FIG. 1), Albers '566 (FIG. 1). Yet in each of these stanchions, additional vertical members are required, which increase the cost and complexity of a livestock frame.
Once the animal has placed its head through the livestock opening, then typically its neck makes contact with a portion of the pivoting restraining stanchion below the pivot point causing the restraining stanchion to move from an open position to a locked position. To prevent the restraining stanchion from returning to the open position, most livestock stanchions described above (and known to those skilled in the art) the latching mechanism is positioned on the locking bar so that engagement occurs when the restraining stanchion is near vertical. See Hatfield '431 (FIG. 3), DaSilveira '031 (FIG. 1), Albers '620 (FIG. 7), Albers '124 (FIG. 7), Albers '052 (FIG. 11), DaSilveira '027 (FIG. 1), Albers '869 (FIG. 1), DaSilveira '232 (FIG. 1), DaSilveira '340 (FIG. 1), DaSilveira '452 (FIG. 1), Hatfield '105 (FIG. 1), Albers '897 (FIG. 1), Albers '815 (FIG. 1), Vandenberg '131 (FIG. 3), Albers '592 (FIG. 1), Albers '566 (FIG. 1). Yet none provide a means to encourage early engagement before the restraining stanchion is in a near vertical position.
In view of the above described limitations and issues with associated with existing livestock stanchions, the present invention has been developed to alleviate these drawbacks and provide further benefits to the user. These enhancements and benefits are described in greater detail herein below with respect to several alternative embodiments of the present invention.